Really? Yes, if you have fat varchar columns defined in a table and using columns in your frequent/daily queries it can have some potential performance impact. Most of the geeks say that we are creating large varchar columns because it will only use number of bytes it needs to store data, which is, totally “True” … Continue reading Yes, Fat varchar columns hurt performance!

Being a production or operational DBAs, whomever I know may rely on third party monitoring tools, which is not questionable. There are many good SQL server-monitoring tools help us to keep an eye on our database production infrastructure. What I suggest/prefer is to have native alerts as first line of notification or this option could … Continue reading 5 Native SQL Server Performance Alerts

ALTER TABLE [onetable] SWITCH TO [anothertable] There are many challenges with gigantic tables and modifying their schema is one of those that could make many operational DBAs cry. I had to go through a schema change where I have to make data type and identity changes to one of the largest transactional table in the … Continue reading “Switch” Huge Non Partitioned Tables in Seconds

A gigantic script that gives you a lot information to view and review current databases and SQL Server settings, options and configurations. I see it becoming very favorite of many operational DBA folks. I’d recommend it run it at least once in a month or anytime you want to have very detailed information for any … Continue reading Perform Professional, Comprehensive SQL HealthChecks

I am going to put together a list of command line interface (CLI) commands that has helped me over the years in troubleshooting SQL Server virtual/physical machines, especially when we bring in a new SQL VMs in our existing environment and want to make sure that it works and connected to every necessary part of … Continue reading 5 CLI Commands, Sr DBA should know!

Often we wonder and feel a need to compare two execution plans, usually we do it by opening these plans in two separate management studio or tabs on two screens (thanks to my company I always has two monitors). With SSMS 2017 release, a new feature “Compare Plan” will allow developers/tuners to compare execution plans … Continue reading Way to go, “Compare ShowPlan” SSMS 2017

It could be very frustrating to deal with something that just shove over to you and you have no idea what to do in order to keep it up, running and available. MongoDB administration could be one of those things where DBAs are assign the responsibility manage and take care since MongoDB has DB keyword … Continue reading Until you get MongoDB specialist, do these 5 things….

Data is the center of an enterprise and application runs top of this data. It’s crucial being DBA that you protect it and make it available in case of disaster. The basic and finest way to protect your organization's data, implementing database backup and restore plan. Backing up databases, (either in SQL or mongo world) … Continue reading All about Mongo Backups & Restore

Once you have connected to mongod in your environment through mongo shell. You want to know about the databases or may be all collection in a particular database. You can use number of options while connecting to mongo but I prefer it in a simple way mongo --host yourhost --port 27017 -u username -p password … Continue reading Five Mongo Commands you must know